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Rodel Gonzalez is an artist of immense creativity and sensitivity with a keen eye for exposing and teasing out beauty in the commonplace and elegance in the mundane. Born into an renowned artistic family, with a surname synonymous with fine art in the Philippines and beyond - Rodel's grandfather, Felix, father, Rick, uncle, Lex, brother, Rudolf, and cousins, Rino and Roy, have created an extraordinary body of work that can be found in galleries throughout the world - Gonzalez showed natural skill and artistic precociousness from a young age. In the genes. Perhaps. But far more likely, Gonzalez and his brethren benefitted from his family's dedication to the traditional techniques and disciplines fostered by the old masters and espoused by Grandpa Felix. Either way, it is that fans of Disney that most benefitted from the artist's commitment to craft, creative process, artistic integrity, and passion for all things Disney. "I believe a painting is a mirror of the painter's understanding of an insight he has," said Gonzalez. "The Disney paintings each involved such a strong concept that every brushstroke was a joyful anticipation of the finished product. The energy was very strong therefore my intentions were sure and refined. I would say that there was a lot of grace present on every painting."

His story starts with an initiation into the art business through the tutelage of his father and grandfather at the age of nine. Even at an early age, Gonzalez displayed this passion and temerity with every brushstroke on the canvas. With his keen eye for subtle contrast and attention to fine detail, his paintings evoke a new perspective and appreciation for life's moment captured forever on canvas. Whether he is painting people, places, or things, Gonzalez uncovers the unique grace in even the most conventional spaces. "The everyday lives of people and their surroundings are my inspiration," he says. "I love the interplay of light and shadows, and the details in expressions and structures. I find it challenging and rewarding to depict the changing moods of each day."

This early training instilled in him the diligence that would complement his explorations of color, form, and composition perfectly. "Growing up my father would always tells me to not be intimidated by the paint and be 100 percent sure about my intentions on my first stroke at the canvas," Gonzalez recalls. This exploration ignited a lifelong passion for the arts in its many forms, as art became the vessel through which Gonzalez could best express himself. "I wanna paint what I feel and not what I see. Almost all the pieces I've done are really just figment of my imagination," he said during an interview at the Denver Convention Center in November, 2013. "It's when I'm of the easels when I copy the countless sunset and sunrises, or when I'm when I'm at the beach or when I'm with my family. When I'm on the easel, and then be able to recall that experience, what I felt at that moment."

Gonzalez studied at the University of Santo Tomas, majoring in painting, and went on to earn a degree in Interior Design from the Philippines School of Interior Design. This training also helped him to further develop the skills and discipline that have proven to serve him well in future endeavors on his path to artistic freedom, which extended well beyond the canvas. Although Gonzalez was gifted in the visual arts, his skills weren't confined to painting. He was drawn into the world of music, and at the age of 20 founded his band, Side A, with brother Naldy in the Philippines, in which Gonzalez was the lead singer, saxophone player, and prolific songwriter. Currently in the band Second Wind, he is still an active part of the musical community and his founding band continues to be one of the longest-surviving bands in Manila. His success in the music industry fulfilled a part of him, but exposed a desire for a more meaningful and deeper connection with his audience. Thus, he also embarked on a new journey, pursuing a new calling as a minister, teaching and serving others. His talents were manifested as a minister in the service of others.

Even through two different careers and busy with his official duties, Gonzalez still maintained his connection with art by doing commissioned portraits, murals, and sketches for friends and acquaintances. It wasn't until 2002 that he began in earnest his dreams of pursuing a fine art career, as he moved his family to Hawaii and returned to the canvas with a fervent passion for the world of visual arts. He cites the support of his brother Rudolf and his cousin Roy Gonzalez Tabora as guides who inspired him to pursue this vision with new-found energy and dedication.

In December of 2007, after five years of living in the beautiful island of Oahu, Rodel and his family began a new chapter in California. In the years since, he has demonstrated a stunning level of detail and accuracy in his paintings, evoking a fresh, enlivened perspective in viewers and a new appreciation for life's captured moments. When asked about his latest works for the Disney Fine Art portfolio, Gonzalez said, "I believe it we all have Disney in us. Every movie inspires us. I'm drawing a lot on the classics, because those are the movies that I grew up watching. I love doing the Disney Classics…Having the opportunity to create Disney paintings is such a treat because Disney was definitely part of my childhood. I remember watching my first Disney films - Bambi and Snow White - and ever since I've been mesmerized by the succeeding Disney movies I've seen."

World Wide ArtWorld Wide Art is known for its wide selection of limited editions and originals by renowned artists, including the luminescent works of Rodel Gonzalez. Their expert staff also specializes in custom conservation framing. In business since 1996, World Wide Art is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a well-known art shop for both serious collectors and casual decorators. The staff at World-Wide-Art.com not only deals art, but are collectors and artists themselves who consider their work a labor of love and lifestyle of art appreciation.

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